Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-10-20
Tho End of It All.
by JAMES FRANKLIN r1rrs.

To one who was in active service
almost four years, there was something
in the closing scenes of the war, in and
about Washington, that powerfully
stirred the dramatic side of the soldiers
nature. Many thousands of the vet
Grams who were there will read this
sketch; and while it tells them nothing
new, they may feel that their comrade
has conferred a favor by reminding
them of incidents. dimmed by distance
of time, and perhaps forgotten, which
attended the Swind-up at Washington"
On the morning of April 18th, 1865,
our division was at Summit Point, Vir-
ginia, midway between Harpers Ferry
and Winchester. The war seemed
about over, and here were, perhaps,
six thousand soldiers who felt that
they had done their share, and were
impatient to be released.
The spotwas magnificent one. The
meadows and woodland sloped gently
away from high ridge, giving pros
pect for miles. On the high ground was
the mansion of Mr.. Willis, an obstinate
secessionist, where the General had
taken up his quarters. Our staff-tents
were in the yard, and the camps of the
infantry dotted the slopes pleasantly
with white tents. Near by was the
railroad from Harper's Ferry to Ste
venson, near Winchester.
Old Willis-for L must affirm that
even after. the lapse of twenty-five
years i can't speak with any respect of
man who had not learned through
four years of war that the United
States was Just what God always meant
it to be-one country-Old Willis, I
say, was in q high state of mind during
the two weeks that we occupied his
property, and must have been thankful
when we left him. The truth is, his
farm was well. fenced, and a large flock
! OF sheep was grazing in the
meadows. Rails and mutton! He
knew little about soldiers, if he
thought they could be kept away
from such things. Half dozen times
day he came tc tho General, his fat
face quivering with rage, to report that
some Yankee soldier had carried off a
fence-rail or fat lamb; and then the
General would issue stern orders
against all such depredations, and not
trouble himself very much about en-
forcing them.
On the morning of April Is I walked
over to my regiment and went into the
ColonePs tent. "A group of officers
stood and sat about. silent, sorrowful,
some of them actually fearful.
What is it?" asked.
Don't you know? President Lin
coin was assassinated last night at
Washington"
There may be pens that could de-
scribe the woeful scenes in those camps
during the next few days; mine cannot.
The blow fell nowhere with more STUN
nlng force than in the army. The SOL
diers loved him; many of them had
seen him and heard his kind, quaint
speech. They mourned for him as for
rather. They thronged the outdoor
religious services that were held to ex-
press the universal sorrow at the be
reavement, and joined fervently in the
prayers and hymns.
Soon after came the order for the
division to proceed to Washington with
all haste. We did not know what the
occasion was, nor was it our place to
know. As usual, we obeyed without
asking.
Such dispatch did we make IN get
ting to Washington that at the Relay
House, below Baltimore, we met the
funeral trsia of the illustrious martyr,
and our train was run off on siding
while the other went by.
The great unfinished dome of the
Capitol came in sight; the train halted,
the soldiers poured out of the cars, the
staff were busy, ard soon our long col
umn was treading the streets of Wash
ington, arms at fright shoulder shift, "
the banners proudly displayed, rent
and torn by the havoc of real war, and
the flies and drums briskly filling the
air with .When johnny Comes March
ing Home Again"
We marched out on the north side OF
the city in front of Fort Saratoga, and
here We learned why we had been
brought here. The division was to
picket long stretch between that fort
and Fort Stevens. The orders were to
let any citizen in, but to allow no one
to pass out. For three or four days
this duty was kept up, and severe
strain it vas in the warm weather.
Hundreds of people were turned back
with the sole explanation: You can't
go ont; it is our orders There
seemed to be at least suspicion on the
part OF the military authorities at
Washington that the assassin was still
IN the city. When it was positively
known that he was not, the pickets
were drawn in, and we had rest again
In pleasant camp.
A few days later came this day when,
by order OF the War Department. a
hundred guns were fred in rnemory Of
the illustrious dead. It was deeply